Malawi: Bullets reviewing applications from 40 coaches

Some 40 coaches, including from Europe and America, have applied for the head coach job of Malawi giants FCB Nyasa Big Bullets. The post became vacant following the sacking of Peter Mponda in December.

In an exclusive interview with Pan-Africa Football, Bullets media manager Kimpho Loka confirmed receipt of an overwhelming number of applications.

 

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“Applications for the Head Coach position closed on Monday, 2 February 2026. We received over 40 applications from the SADC region, Europe, North America, West Africa, and other areas. The Club is now reviewing all applications in line with our standard recruitment process. We appreciate your interest and support in covering this process,” Loka said.

Mamelodi Sundowns legend Ernest Mtawali and interim coach Gilbert Chirwa are among the notable applicants for the coaching job for Bullets.

What sort of a coach are Bullets looking for?

In a job vacancy advert placed on the team’s website, Bullets say they want a coach with either a CAF or UEFA badge. The prospective candidate must also have “strong knowledge of modern football tactics, training methodologies and performance management.”

More importantly, the Blantyre-based giants, whose difficult-to-please fans demand winning while playing beautiful attacking football, want a handler capable of working “in a high-pressure and results driven environment.”

The new coach will surely be tasked with winning the Super League title. It is the piece of silverware Bullets have missed since 2023 when they laid their hands on the prized asset.

Last season, rivals Mighty Wanderers won the championship. The previous season, Mponda led Silver Strikers to the league silverware before he returned to Bullets, his childhood club.

The former Malawi national team skipper managed to claim the Airtel Top 8 trophy with the People’s Team last season, but so high are the standards in the red side of Blantyre that only a league crown is a measure of success.

Bullets are the most followed top-flight league team in Malawi with a fan base estimated at six million. The People’s Team has won the most 17 league titles followed by Silver at nine then Wanderers seven.

Malawi football giants FCB Nyasa Big Bullets have attracted massive global interest in their search for a new head coach, with more than 40 applications submitted from across Africa, Europe, and North America. The position became vacant following the dismissal of Peter Mponda in December, a decision that underlined the club’s relentless demand for domestic dominance.

In an exclusive interview with Pan-Africa Football, Bullets’ media manager Kimpho Loka confirmed the overwhelming response, describing it as a reflection of the club’s stature both regionally and internationally.

“Applications for the Head Coach position closed on Monday, 2 February 2026. We received over 40 applications from the SADC region, Europe, North America, West Africa, and other areas. The Club is now reviewing all applications in line with our standard recruitment process. We appreciate your interest and support in covering this process,” Loka said.

Global interest highlights Bullets’ stature

The sheer number and diversity of applicants illustrate the pull of Nyasa Big Bullets, widely regarded as Malawi’s biggest and most successful club. Competing in the Malawi Super League, the Blantyre-based side has built a reputation as a club where only silverware satisfies supporters.

Among the notable names to have applied are Ernest Mtawali, a revered figure in Southern African football and a former star of Mamelodi Sundowns, as well as current interim coach Gilbert Chirwa, who knows the club’s culture and expectations intimately.

The inclusion of international candidates from Europe and North America further underlines Bullets’ ambition to modernize and possibly introduce new footballing philosophies while maintaining their traditional attacking identity.

Malawi giants FCB Nyasa Big Bullets have received over 40 applications from local and international coaches following the dismissal of Peter Mponda.

More than 40 coaches from Africa, Europe and North America are now being assessed as the club targets a return to league dominance.